Diervilla plant named ‘G2X88544’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Diervilla  plant named ‘G2X88544’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; moderate to rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; developing leaves are orange in color; fully expanded leaves become golden orange in color in the autumn; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Diervilla×splendens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘G2X88544’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diervilla plant, botanically known as Diervilla×splendens, commonly referred to as bush honeysuckle and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘G2X88544’.

The new Diervilla is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Bellefonte, Pa. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact and freely branching Diervilla plants with attractive leaf color.

The new Diervilla plant originated from an open-pollination in August, 2009 of a proprietary seedling selection of Diervilla×splendens identified as code number 3349-4, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietary selection of Diervilla×splendens. The new Diervilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on Sep. 1, 2011 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Bellefonte, Pa.

Asexual reproduction of the new Diervilla plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bellefonte, Pa. has shown that the unique features of this new Diervilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Diervilla have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘G2X88544’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘G2X88544’ as a new and distinct Diervilla plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and moderate to rapid growth rate.     -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Developing leaves are orange in color.     -   5. Fully expanded leaves become golden orange in color in the         autumn.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Diervilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Diervilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in leaf color as developing leaves of the female parent selection are green in color. In addition, developed leaves of the female parent selection. do not turn golden orange in the autumn.

Plants of the new Diervilla can be compared to plants of other selections of Diervilla×splendens known to the Inventor, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Diervilla differed primarily from plants of other selections of Diervilla×splendens known to the Inventor in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Diervilla were more freely branching and         denser than plants of other selections of Diervilla×splendens         known to the Inventor.     -   2. Plants of the new Diervilla and other selections of         Diervilla×splendens known to the Inventor differed in developing         leaf color as developing leaves of other selections of         Diervilla×splendens were green in color.     -   3. Plants of the new Diervilla and other selections of         Diervilla×splendens known to the Inventor differed in autumn         leaf color as fully expanded leaves of other selections of         Diervilla×splendens did not become golden orange in the autumn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Diervilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Diervilla plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘G2X88544’ grown during the spring.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical plant of ‘G2X88544’ grown during the autumn.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in the early summer in three-gallon containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Grand Haven, Mich. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Diervilla production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 27° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 10° C. Plants were two years old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Diervilla×splendens ‘G2X88544’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Diervilla×splendens identified as code number 3349-4, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of             Diervilla×splendens, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 21 days at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 26° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four to             five weeks at temperatures about 19° C.         -   Root description.—Medium to thick; whitish in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial deciduous shrub;             upright and outwardly spreading plant habit, mounding;             vigorous growth habit and moderate to rapid growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about 80 to 100             lateral branches develop per plant; pinching enhances             lateral branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 68 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 98 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 61 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 3.5 cm to 5 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect to about 45° from vertical.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color, upper surface.—Close to 144B.         -   Color, lower surface.—Close to 178A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6.5 cm to 13 cm.         -   Width.—About 2 cm to 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate to ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A             overlain with a blend close to 182A and 171A. Developing and             fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C overlain             with close to 171C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 137A; venation, close to 145A; in the autumn, color             becomes closer to 14A overlain with a blend close to 33A and             169A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C;             venation, close to 145C; in the autumn, color becomes closer             to 168C overlain with close to 14D.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 144B slightly overlain with close             to 178A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower appearance and arrangement.—Salverform flowers             arranged in terminal cymes; freely flowering habit with             about 18 to 33 flowers developing per inflorescence; flowers             face upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during             the spring to mid-summer in Michigan; flowers not             persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 4 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.5 cm.         -   Flower length.—About 1.4 cm.         -   Flower throat diameter (at base of petal lobes).—About 5 mm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 7 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter (at base of tube).—About 2 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 145A.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five fused with apices             free. Length: About 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Narrowly             oblong. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 151D; flower throat,             close to 151D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             Close to 14A; flower tube, close to 14A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl.             Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 0.5 mm to 1 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:             Erect to about 45° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Aspect:             About 25° from peduncle axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D.             Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther             color: Close to 17A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color:             Close to 17A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 1.4 cm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color:             Close to 144B. Style length: About 1.4 cm. Style color:             Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed development have not been             observed on plants of the new Diervilla. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Diervilla have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from −28° C. to 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Diervilla have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Diervilla plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Diervilla plant named ‘G2X88544’ as illustrated and described. 